New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-09
EDGERTOy DEPENDS HIMSELF:
LIE HAS NO INTENTION OF REsIGNING.
POWERS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE CcMMIssIoN-THE


POWERS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMENSURATE
/ sEEBERGER CASE
Tinted States Civil Service Commissioner A. p. Ed
CERT H. who is at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. is white
haired dapper looking Old gentleman, whose erect
carriage and careful dress give him an appearance
twenty years younger than toe seventy-tour winters
that he actually carries. Mr. EdgertoD - Just now
storm centre of the Civil Ser vice As president OF the
| Commission be has become involved in controversy
with his two associates. and Ia sal even 10 nave
ontag onzed the President. An ugly night rs alreauy
grooming out Mr. Edeerton according TO hs TRENDS
holds the belief that he is the sole Judge as TO the
duties of his official position, and While he occup Is
that position he PROPOSES to perform those au',es
without submitting to the dictauon or any one ne
was asked about the case OF Collector
Seebtrge OF Oh cago. tho was charged WIN 'ioia'o
OF the Civil Service act, and replied: . ,
| The nre>s criticisms upon nv report upon tnat
case ha We not been based upon the report ITSELF
NeN-York Times does not even seem To comrrenenu
the fact that men have constitutional rights winch W"
| are all bound to respect, while TdE newborn
TYInuNF says ms report Is full Of PERSONA "t'"on'
ana nd yises ME 10 resign. | have not resisnei yet
! ana | do hoi propose to re'igD From oesnning W
end of nv report have made no personal aitacA upon
any one think know the propreties OF liie' anu
am certain that there are no personal rcfereuces
which could be fairly criticised have been oppo.eu
4, making any Of these Investigations into the action
of Fc, era officials. uLess upon cisnct charges iro
responsible sources, partaking oil b reai charac'ci
By lerai character | mean that tney must pe oaH''
unon the proy sions OF the Law, and rects Voiauohs
| of n,ov;s;oos o: that law. | was opposed to tho
Investigation OF Postmaster II rrity, at Philadelphia
because thought is beneath tn, dignity OF INC wv
m sion to become nquisitofs seeking 70 nVes"gho
cnarres tha: we're not based upon specincay ree"eu
facts or special evidence. Ia oder to partake OF
legal character the charge, should be sucn rs are on
| templated to be brought under the law. Inc Coih-
nus don has no right TO mike an investigation vi
charges removal except tor spec'nV causes haea
| in the law and tue only causes which would JUSTIFY
an investigation looking tor condemnation are
| removals as follows:
on Because n person in the service has refused to
| contribute TO "A political funi for political pur-
| pose.
'i2) Because person has refused to render service
| 10 any political party.
.I3) Because person has refused 10 permit the ap
oointing Officer or any other person in the Ciy Ser
| vice. TO cverce his political action.
| This il the law The differences in the Co minis
sion BE- tween Messrs 0berly aud Lyman anu myself.
aud they jointly, are iny STAGED IN my report -
How has the Commission rx 'rcised Its pa wer !!
The Commission has power. Tie Commission
ers are simply ou-look.rs. TheIe is no punishment
proviied under the law for violation oil It's pro-
visions except removal by the resident There has
been no case where the Presid- has removed per-
son as a result OF any iuvest alton by the Commis-
| sion. Their Investigations, tue eforo, nave supply
been notices TO the puolic that they are trying tO 90
| something. hey did not dni that Sesoergsr uid
! thing contrary 20 law. They did lot ind that
] Harrty did anything contrary to las, although ne
mt out large number OF Republicans and put IN q
! large number OF Democrats. the Commission mas
unifurmly dec a.ed thaf remov lis are Jh't'ha Ois
without any statement of the reasons Tor removal
he whole controversy over eeSrrger 10 simply De-
he refused to give reason; when asked Tor the
1hr entire matter hinges OH tue constitutional t'Sht
| of the removal. rithOut giving reasons, ~ ich Is
vested in executive officers. Congress ctnuo do any
thing execut, character IL failed consl icuoIs
| lv in Ssno To
! aud tue Supreme Court ruled with him. Ine same
rule holds good in 81 nator stanton 10 case anu WIZ
project him. Now. appointments must All De maue
! by Secte aries acting Tor the President henoVhs
must all come from the "a nc source IL tue nsnt ID
Denied to these Secretaries to remove without assign
inc rea .ons il is also denied to tue Prestiept Inc
Presidents right has never been successfully chtl-
len Icd. The seeberger matter has been star'ed up
Tor political eject The Civil Service League oi
Chicago Is a political organization. II IA 0rsanized
for IA polite 4. purposr. It's ia ore are uistino'
political regard the SeeberGer case as one 81 II ~
importance ~ spite OF the attention that has reeh
DIR wn 20 IT, IL " investigation into viii the Com
mission ought never to have been drawn at all.
4" Ia the difference over Illinois politics between
Ob,riy and Seeb .rger at the bottom oil your dner-
ebces the Commi .sion T. .
" About that 1 have nothing 20 say Mr. Seeberger
| can speak OF that tor himself. As lar AS hm con
crrnci have neen consistent with myself and with
the law DO the llairy case and IN the Serbcrscr
case In the r>>ort on the Isrrty case on page Il.
| Mr.. Lyman asx to have tho Vsing clause III
| accepted: -,
asA rule rrqarng reasons tor dismissal to be filed
ia
! tho Commission, he n rule. but. In tie absence
OF . pro yi-On vi law PRESIDENTIAL rule requiring
| this rea-ons for dismis. al cannot be demanded.
In the report OF the iarrity case the last part oil
this quotation is in erted in Mr.. ODerys handwriting
and framed by biD. That il. lie says, reasons Tor
di nissal cannot be demanded, yet IN the Se berger
case he and Mr. Lynn IN wish to demand r-a-ons 1t
amounts TO this. that they agree with themselves
In the two reports and are at tue same time ia us
agree nent with the law
hat Is tho attitude Of the PresdentP
lie has nothing do with II. II he should take
any part ut all IL would be his DUTY To dirirlss Mr.
Seeberger, beca So II Seeber has violated the law
he should be removed. But the Commission 4 ocs not
answer Tor himself. winch he IL nly competent 10
do
awhat 81 ould be Web,ters remedy II II was found
that he had been uujustly removed bv Seehcrgeri
"He has remedy whatever The commission mas
no power OF restoration. Tho Prrsident himself can
not re tore a man liter he has been rem we'd Ito
must 20 through examination the same rs anv one
in order again enter the Government service
Then Civil Service Reform Is something oil oeu-
zion and n snareW
Mr.. Edgerton smiled as he iepicd: " lnat Ia as
you look at it,
Mr.. Edgerton says that President Cleveland cat be
reelected II he Is nominated, NJ he mas maue u
satisfactory President
ARREsrIyG AN EXECUTOR FOR LARCENY
James Bird, a lumber and coal dealer Of larry town.
N. " arrested at his home yesterday by Officers
Farrell and Evans, of the Jefferson Market Squad and
brought to New.York. The arrest made on COM
paint of Engineer Benjamin Olmstcc, at present
stationed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard who accuses
Bid OF tho larceny of a check for $i,727 10. Bird
was taken 10 jefferson Market Court, and Justice
German remanded him In tho custody Of his counsel
for examination Tho check represents only a por'
lion of the money which Is alleged TO have been stolen
by Mr. Bird.
On Junc no 1884 $40. 600 was left TO Mr. Omsted